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I’ve been meaning to e-mail you ever since we got back from our last visit to you. As I’m sure you’ll recall, Spencer was not potty trained when we saw you last month. He would use the toilet only if prompted. Every morning when he woke up I had him sit on the toilet, at school they had him sit on the toilet according to his daily schedule (I think it was 10:00 each day) and at night just before his bath I had him sit on the toilet. Sometimes he would pee, sometimes he would not. He never went number 2 on the toilet. Never.

You taped the lesson where you potty trained him. You did it in less than 10 minutes. As you’ll recall you had me bring in 2 wash clothes for you to use with Spencer. You used the wash clothes to help him differentiate wet and dry. The morning after your potty training lesson Spencer used the toilet by himself in the morning. I told you how excited he was to report to me exactly what he did. Well, I am thrilled beyond words to update you that since that crucial afternoon lesson with you Spencer has been potty trained completely. He is 100% independent. I am totally uninvolved. He’s using the toilet so well, doing his business and even wiping himself, and then washing his hands without a word from me. It’s as if he’s been doing it for years! I’m still in shock. I mean, he’s 4 years and 7 months old. I was starting to think it would never happen!!! It’s a miracle!

I received some info about the anat baniel method. I saw the website, watched some videos on YouTube and called a few local practitioners. It made sense to me, but I was skeptical, of course. Not to mention the cost – that’s a lot of $$ to spend when you don’t even know if it will work. I have been so frustrated with conventional therapies, and our lack of progress, that I told my husband that we had to try this Anat Baniel stuff.

Well, we just got back from San Diego and seeing an Anat Baniel Method for Children Practitioner and it was fantastic!!!! Colette’s contractures in her legs are significantly decreased – during the sessions the practitioner was able to get them into neutral/weight-bearing position. She is no longer in frog position. Her abduction contractures have loosened as well. My daughter was able to lift her head, and look around, when in prone position – the first time EVER!! She even maintained a kneeling position and didn’t cry. She can cross midline much more easily. She twists and turns easily. She weight bears on her hands a lot more. She no longer seems to be having the same difficulty in doing certain movements. She is MUCH happier. She is higher energy. She is more chatty – sings in the car to her music CD constantly!! She didn’t cry during the sessions at all, unlike any doctor visits she ever has. In fact, it took her 2 months before her PT could even touch her!! And Colette always cries during stretches, but not this. I will never stretch her again. Everyone seems to say that stretching is critical for kids with AMC to get rid of their contractures – putting them through all that pain – but now I see that it is not necessary at all. There is another way. I am so happy, as I feel horrible putting my daughter through any more discomfort. Before this I never thought of her condition as being an uncomfortable or painful one. But I see how happy she is now, and how much more energetic she is, that I am convinced that at the very least, her condition is uncomfortable and has made movement very taxing, draining her of energy.

It has worked wonders already and really gives me hope. We are doing some maintenance sessions locally and then at the end of the month it will be back to San Diego for another intensive 5-day
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing. I only hope more kids could have access to this wonderful treatment.